


You and I, and the Distance Between Us

by Tech_nique



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Au in which Chika has moved, Completely unedited, F/F, I don't know how to use tags dammit, Slow Burn, Slow To Update, angsty shit, i am so sorry for all the awful comma abuse, implied chika/you eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-09-20 21:54:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9517754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tech_nique/pseuds/Tech_nique
Summary: Riko has just moved to Uchiura, her musical career at a halt. She's unable to find the sound she's looking for, and can't come to terms with her failure, as a pianist, and as a person. You's life has hit it's lowest since her girlfriend moved away, breaking off their relationship, she lost her best friends, her passion, and can't find direction for herself. Can these two find in each other the strength to overcome what lies before they? Can they close the distance between themselves, and find happiness?





	1. The Ocean, and Those Met Therein

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weight of failure weighs down on Riko, failing to play a piece she'd in front of hundreds of audience members. But she couldn't feel it, the ocean waves eluded her, so she resolves to throw herself into them to find the feelings they hid from her back then. Upon emerging from the water answer-less, she finds a girl, who offers to help her find the feelings that she cannot.

Wind blew through the Riko’s red hair as she stood on the dock, the air from the sea filled her lungs, and she resolved to jump into the bay that lay before her. Pulling the school uniform from her body, she revealed the swimsuit beneath. With each piece she removed she counted, Her body further readying itself on after each count for the ordeal it was about to undergo. She followed it like the sound she was attempting to capture. Each moment trying to form the piece she was seeking so desperately. Nothing came to her, and that’s why she was here, to claim from the ocean itself the inspiration to finish her composition. 

“One” She let her skirt drop onto the stone docks below. “Two.” The buttons on her shirt were undone. “Three.” She kicked off her shoes and began to take steps forward towards the water. 

“Are you sure that’s such a wise idea?” A voice from behind her called. On instinct alone she turned to face it. 

A girl with gray hair stood there dressed in a school uniform of similar color, the breeze pulled the strands of silver hair away from her head. The stranger leaned one hand on her waist, while the other held her school bag slung over one shoulder, her feet set wide and firm enough that even the strongest gust wouldn’t topple her over. 

“It’s only April after all, you’re bound to get sick if you take a swim now.” She replied, a grin on her face as she approached the dock Riko stood on. 

“I must go! I have to do it!” Riko cried out, twisting her body back around to jump into the water. As she made her first step towards the sea, she felt a hand around her wrist. 

“Hey hey, are you sure we can’t talk this out?” The stranger said through a goofy smile and closed eyes. 

“Let go!” The redhead replied, all the sea air that had been collecting in her lungs pushed out in one determined cry.

“Fine fine.” The mystery girl relinquished Riko’s hand.

Another second went by as she steeled herself for what she was about to do. A cry rang through the air as she twisted her body back to the sea before her. Feet slapping against the wet concrete platform, she felt the seawater that had splashed up to it with every step she took, and in a moment, she’d reached the end of the dock. With one swift leap she carried her entire body into the air, for a moment she was weightless, breathless, every moment felt like an eternity, as if she’d found the end of the world and leaped off of it. It was a moment that gave her hope, the beauty of the sunset before her, and the sea it was sinking down into, surely here she’d find her answer. 

The world began to move for Riko once again, and she felt all of her weight return to her, not just her physicality, but her guilt, and frustration as well. She found herself in darkness, and cold enveloped her, Riko allowed her eyes to close, and she listened deeply, searching desperately for a sound, but she was met with nothing but rushing water and ringing, emptiness. It was as if she was once again in the concert hall, surrounded by darkness with one piercing light, fingers brushing gently against keys with an incomplete mess of a piece sat in front of her on the piano.She wasn’t capable of finishing the piece, or even playing what she had managed to compose. The ocean around her felt as though it were a void, as if it were trapping her in that singular moment. The hall was filled with silence, but she tried, desperately to find anything within it. Hopelessness was all she heard, it filled her ears first, and then her heart as her body floated to the top. 

Once at the surface she gasped for air, and struggled with the sudden cold that had her swimsuit clinging to her body. On the dock crouched the girl who’d been speaking to her previously, simply looking down into the water. Riko’s face flushed, not only had she done something desperate and ridiculous with a witness there, she hadn’t even succeeded in what she set out to do. It was all so humiliating she could just die right there, for all the good she was doing anyone. The girl above her extended her hand towards the redhead in the water. 

“Come on up here, I’m not sure what you’re trying to do, but I know you must be freezing.” She called down from the dock, in a voice like the wind, gentle and soft, but fleeting. 

Riko reached towards the extended hand, taking it in her own as the stranger pulled her up to the platform. The two of them sat on its’ edge, the other’s skirt getting visibly wet, though she seemed unbothered as she retrieved a towel from her bag and handed it to Riko. 

“Ah, thank you very much.” Riko said, wrapping the towel around her shoulders. “But, why do you have this?” It was curious to her that someone would just keep a towel on them. 

“I used to be on the swim team.” The grey haired girl responded, looking wistfully out into the ocean. 

“Used to be?” Riko thought to herself, she knew it wasn’t her business asking, and she had enough problems as it stood. 

“Anyway, this is a cute uniform, where’d you get it from?” She patted the uniform Riko had been wearing, the girl had folded it nicely, and set it between them. 

“Tokyo, from Otonokizaka high school. “

“Ehhhh, you’re from all the way there? You didn’t come all this way to jump in the ocean, did you?” 

“No, I just moved here, and I wanted to hear the sound of the ocean.” Riko’s voice sounded defeated, even though she’d come right to the source she couldn’t hear a thing. 

“Oh? Why do you want to hear something like that?” The girl clung to her bag now, turning from the ocean to look Riko in the eye, but all Riko could do was avert her gaze, it was a question that was hard for her to answer. “I mean, if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay too, I just figured it’d help to get it out.” 

“I’m composing a piano piece, but I’m struggling with the feeling of an oceanic song.” Flashes of the concert she’d been too unnerved to play at flashed in her head once again, and her heart continued to sink further into herself. Her entire body lurched, a combination of frustration and anxiety had all but condensed itself within her, as if it had formed a black lump that lashed out and struck her from the inside. 

“I think that’s really admirable.” The stranger responded, bounding up into a standing position. “You’ve got something to work hard towards, and I can just tell you’re going to find the answers you need.” She twisted herself so that she was looking right at Riko when she finished. 

“Well, I’m not sure…” Riko began, before being abruptly cut off. 

“Nonsense! I’ll even help you get a feel for the ocean, and this town. You did just move here after all, right?” She sat back down, her legs kicking over the docks. “I’m You, You Watanabe!” You spun her arm into a salute as she introduced herself. 

“I’m Riko Sakurauchi. Its nice to met you, You” Riko smiled, it may be nice to have some help, or at least someone familiar to talk to so that he could take her mind off the piece. “Do you live near here?” 

“No, I just have some time to kill after school since I’m not on the swim team anymore. There’s a bus stop nearby that I take to get home, after I” She paused, as if looking for something to say. Her eyes darted back and forth before she continued. “After I get a nice long view of the horizon.” It felt as though there was something else You wanted to say, but that she had refrained from doing so, but just as quickly as Riko had had that thought You stood up, and held her hand down. “C’mon, let’s get you somewhere where you can actually warm up.” 

Riko grabbed You’s hand, and with one quick motion she was jerked onto her feet. She pulled the towel from her shoulder and began to dry her feet so she could put her shoes on. A feeling of ease had begun to settle in her heart, since she’d just arrived a few days ago she worried about making friends with the people here, but meeting You, even if it was in such a strange circumstance made her feel a little better. She finished drying her feet, and slipped her socks on, and her shoes after that.

“They’re all wet!” The redhead cried as her feet slipped in with a squish. 

“I mean, that’s what happens when you throw your shoes carelessly onto a dock.” You followed up by laughing, much to Riko’s despair. 

“My house isn’t all that far from here, so we can go there, at least for a little.” Riko sighed, and began to pull on her skirt. You’s hands jittered as Riko put the uniform back on, as if it bothered her. “Is uh, something wrong?”

“Your uniform is getting wet.” You’s voice was weak, almost pleading with Riko to not let her uniform absorb the water from her swimsuit. 

“I mean, I won’t be wearing this one for much longer.” Riko began to make her way off the dock and back to the sidewalk, making unpleasant stride as her shoes released water every time she put a moderate amount of weight onto them. 

The sun was lowering beneath the horizon now, and the two girls made their way up the road, Riko was wracking her brain, trying to remember where her house was. She lead You down several streets, each time saying she knew where they were this time, and each time having no actual idea where they were in reference to her house. 

“Just give me your address, I’m pretty familiar with this area, and I’m sure I can find it for you.” You asked reluctantly, it was clear she knew that Riko had no real idea where they were going, much to the redhead’s dismay.

With a sigh, she withdrew her phone, and scrolling through the messages she’d shared with her mother located the address. 

“Here.” she turned the phone so it was facing You.

The gray haired girl’s eyes scanned the phone for a moment, before she bit her lip. But she quickly shook off whatever thoughts were bothering her, as she spun around to lead Riko to her house. 

“Yeah, I know where that one is.” 

You marched them down the street, and after a few turns the pair were standing outside of Riko’s house, and the empty lot next to it that was for sale. Apparently there had been an inn there that was destroyed in a storm the previous rainy season, or so Riko’s mom had been told by the sales person. You’s eyes were fixated on the lot, as if she were trying to recreate the phantom inn with her memory of it. Riko didn’t quite grasp why You was so focused, perhaps she’d been close friends with the people who ran the inn? She wasn’t certain, but she knew it wasn’t her business, and instead moved to invite her acquaintance in for something to drink.

“I know it’s late, but would you like to come in for something to drink?” Riko was unsure of how she’d explain her soaked clothing to her mother, or how she’d apologize for the unexpected guest. They’d barely even unpacked, and their home was in shambles on the inside.  
Before those worries could fully sink in, You had begun to walk away, head tilted ever so slightly towards the road as she waved back at Riko, her body still facing forward. 

“I’d love to, but I better catch the bus before I miss the last one.” She began to jog down the street, and soon she was out of sight. 

This left Riko alone in front of her house, a single streetlight illuminating her as she watched the only person she knew in this town fade into the night like a ghost. She wondered if everyone she’d meet would be so easy to talk to, though she doubted it. She sighed and smiled to herself, thinking of her newfound acquaintance as she turned and walked into what was now her house. 

“Mom, I’m home!”


	2. Good Things Come to Those Who Let Them

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an unfortunate break up, You's been beating herself up and dragging herself around. Injury from overwork forcing her to take hiatus from the swim team, a strained relationship with one of her best friends, and the animosity of the student council president are taking their toll on her. But a miracle is about to walk into her life.

Light streamed in the opened shutters, and an alarm blared through the house, assaulting the girl’s senses all at once. She forced herself up from bed, mustering all her strength to move the stone that her body had become. 

You stretched her arms into the air, the school year was beginning today, and she could not have possibly looked forward to it less, seeing as there really wasn’t much there for her anymore. 

Still, she felt as though she had some sort of responsibility to go, whether it be to her father, or to Chika, whose voice she could imagine scolding her for even considering not going to school. 

“You idiot, you’d never pay attention in class anyway, so it’s not like you have room to talk.” She mused to the empty space as she made her way to the bathroom. 

After taking a moment to finish getting ready she stared at herself in her mirror for a moment, the uniform that once felt so perfect for her now seemed to be ill fit, or rather, it seemed she was no longer fit to wear it. She brushed the thought off, a little pain shooting through her shoulder as she made her way out of the apartment and down to the bus stop. 

The grey haired girl took a seat towards the back, away from where people had been filling in. She thought it was strange though, as that was where people typically sat first, not that it mattered much. The ride to school only let anxiety build further in her chest, she wasn’t sure she’d recognize the school without Chika, and she’d rather not have to find out. She was already on her way to Uranohoshi though, and it wasn’t like she’d be able to. 

“How dare you reject a seat next to the fallen angel, you’re just asking to be cursed.” 

You’s thoughts were interrupted by muttering from the very last seat in the bus, turning her head to see, her eyes met with a first year student from Uranohoshi student, her dark hair only accented her gloomy muttering, though You wasn’t entirely certain of what she was saying. 

She just wished she’d have given the cute girl from the docks her number. She still felt an obligation to Chika though, even though things had been clearly ended when she moved, it was just hard for You to let go. She took a deep breath as the bus reached it stop, disembarking while thanking the driver. Beginning up the hill towards the school, other girls walked past in groups, those in her grade would stop and wave, and hold small talk for a moment before isolating themselves back into their respective pods. 

That’s just the way things were, it wasn’t like You didn’t get along with her classmates, there was just a rift between her and them, she was always relatively popular, but it just never felt like a part of it all. In a way she felt like she was on the ocean, swaying back and forth to whatever caught her at the time, but very little had stuck with her, Chika had been her anchor, and really kept her from drifting too far out into something that wasn’t worth her full attention. Though now it seemed there wasn’t anything at all to drift away to.  
You stopped for a moment, her heart aching as she saw the school gates. For a moment, she thought she was going to die, it’d been so fortunate that her and Chika could get into the same school, but now all that was for nothing. The girl turned on her heel and took a single step forward with the intent to spend the day on the ferry, but as she did she collided with something, or someone. 

Both her and the other fell to the ground with heavy thunks, You’s school bag slide a few feet into the school grounds, and a dark cloth fell out of the other girl’s bag. Instinctively You went to retrieve the item, but it was snatched away by the girl in a hurry as she rushed to her feet. 

“You’ll regret this, mortal! A thousand curses on you, and a thousand more, this crime will never be forgotten by this fallen angel!” She cried with a finger pointed downward as she backed into the gate 

All You could do was sit there on the ground for a moment, asking herself if she had heard the girl correctly, and judging by the crowd of girls all staring at the dark haired “angel” it seemed she had.

Standing, and patting down her skirt, You retrieved her school bag, and having had to go through the gate to do so, it seemed she was stuck here. She went to her locker and switched her shoes out for the indoor-appropriate shoes before making her way to the auditorium, there was an assembly for the beginning of the year, headed by the student council president, which she was certainly not looking forward too. 

The auditorium was hot, and packed shoulder to shoulder, the sea of students were all chatting among one another, their chatter growing into an overwhelming sound. The screech of a microphone cut through the noise and brought the entire room to deafening silence before the student council president began to speak. 

The entire speech all You could feel was the president's overwhelming animosity towards her, as if she had been glaring the whole time, and though she knew that wasn’t the case, she just couldn’t shake the feeling. At the same time, guilt made itself at home in her heart, she knew she’d wronged the student council president, but she’d been trying not to think about it for the last few months. 

Before You realized, she’d missed the entirety of the speech, and students were filing out of the auditorium, all while she stood there. By the time the third years started to exit from the front rows, she began to search through them, looking for Kanan, who she’d not spoken with for the majority of the summer break. Unsurprisingly, the diver was nowhere to be found among the senior class. 

“Her grandfather’s leg must still be out..” She muttered to herself, turning to exit the room before the president made her way off the stage. 

A confrontation was the last thing the grey haired girl wanted, the thought of having to talk to the president sent a shiver up her spine. She clutched her shoulder as she made her way down the freshman packed hall of the first floor. She would have to talk to her when her shoulder got better, and she tried to rejoin the swim team, though, she thought that they may be better off without her, maybe everyone would be. 

She tracked her steps up the stairs, the sound of her feet against the floor growing slowly quieter until they were almost silent when she arrived on the second floor, where her classroom resided. Every single step was a task in and of itself, and it took all of You’s energy to not simply give up. 

She took a deep breath as she rounded the corner of the staircase into the hall, growing frustrated with her own dejected attitude. Things weren’t going to be able to stay like this, and she was damn well not going to be such a defeatist over a breakup. Her life would go on, she just needed to wade through all the trouble she’d stirred. 

Once she made it into the room, she sat in her usual spot, the back of the room, one seat from the window. Chika had always liked to lose herself to the scenery. Maybe that’s why her grades had been so bad, or maybe it was just how she was as a person. You let out a nostalgic sigh, knowing she could’ve sat anywhere else, but it made her happy to be sitting here. Hanging her bag onto the side of her desk she sat down, and rested her arms on her desk, and her head on top of those, today was going to be a slow day, for sure, but she was going to do all she could to make the most of it. 

“Maybe I should visit Kanan today, and apologize for last time…” Her thoughts were cut short by the beginning of homeroom, their teacher entering and giving the usual introduction most teachers give. 

“Okay, everyone! Let’s introduce our transfer student.” The teacher continued where most would have stopped, she motioned towards the door, and a redhead came walking in, the breeze of the open windows carrying her hair behind her like streams of crimson light. The Uranohoshi uniform had never looked more fitting on any other girl as its’ skirt flowed behind her. She stared in awe at the transfer student, a sense of familiarity emanating from her. “She will be attending our school starting today.” 

“Excuse me, I transferred from Tokyo’s Otonokizaka Highschool. I’m Sakurauchi Riko.” The moment she spoke You recognised her as the waterlogged girl she’d met at the docks prior to the start of the school year. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Wow, does she look different dry.” You thought, raising her head from her arms. 

You felt her heart fluttering, she’d met pretty girls before, she’d even met this one in particular, but knowing she’d be attending the same school, and the same class even somehow made You’s heart beat all the faster. 

“Please, take your seat, there’s an open one by the window if you’d like.” The teacher said, motioning the transfer student towards the back of the room.

Riko thanked her, and hurried her way to the back, into the seat right next to You, the seat that Chika used to occupy. None of that crossed You’s mind however, everything just spun as she thanked the gods for this second chance at getting to know Riko. 

You couldn’t focus throughout the entire day, she spent most of it writing and re-writing notes, trying to find the best thing to say, or ask the transfer student as she was flooded with attention from the rest of the class. She found her tongue tied, however, and failed to come up with anything before the final bell rang. Riko stood from her seat, students who were speaking to her exited before her, with promises to hang out sometime having been exchanged. It was at that moment You threw away any idea of having a plan, and decided to just wing it. 

“Hey, Sakurauchi-san!” She called out, from only a few feet away. 

Riko turned from the front rows back towards You, a puzzled look on her face. 

“Yes, Watanabe-san?” 

“Let’s exchange numbers, I can show you around Uchiura, and take you to a diving shop tomorrow.” She said, flashing a smile Riko’s way. “That way you can really get a feel for the ocean.”

For a moment, Riko’s seemed to hesitate when You mentioned the ocean, but just as quickly she smiled, and took her own phone out. 

“That sounds nice, actually. Thank you, Watanabe-san.” 

“You don’t need to be so formal, just call me You-chan.” You cheered, saluting with her phone in her hand. 

“Alright, You-chan.” Riko chuckled as they traded numbers, and went their separate ways after leaving the classroom together.

Riko headed to the faculty lounge while You made her way to the entrance, it would be pretty inconvenient if she missed her bus, especially without Chika’s sister around to bail her out. As she made her way out of the building however, she overheard what seemed to be two third years talking to the student council president. 

“Is it true that we’re getting a new director, Dia-chan?”

“Yeah, and they’re saying she’s as old as us! Get that!” 

“I’m not currently at liberty to discuss our new director, but yes, our old director has stepped down.” Dia replied to their questions in the same refined manner she always spoke in. 

You snuck away however, not wanting to spoil the good the day had finally brought to her with a confrontation. She stood at the gate of the school, her hands on her hips, taking in the fresh air, and letting her body bask in the sunshine. Things really would look up if she let them, and she was determined to make the best out of what was left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow shit, sorry this took so long, and that following chapters may take the same amount of time or less. I'm really bad at this writing thing. and also at keeping characters consistent.   
> But hey, I hope you enjoy it.   
> And if you ever wanna talk ships HMU on tumblr, or somethin'.

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize for the myriad of errors, I'm just too impatient and embarrassed to send this to a friend to be edited. Since it's mostly for my own indulgence I figure it's fine to be a little less rigid with it. Also the last time I sent a file to be edited I didn't get it back until almost a year after I sent it sooooo.


End file.
